Grease-cup.



M. 6. BROWN.

GREASE CUP. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4.1913.

1., 14 1 1 O1 Patented June 1, 1915.

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MATTHIAS G. BROWN, 0]? GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.

GREASE-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915,

Application filed June 4, 1913. Serial no. 771,735.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l\IATTHIAS G. BROWN, citizen of the United States, residing at Gulfport, in the county of Harrison and State of" Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grease- Cups, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to improvements in grease cups of the general character illustrated, for example, in my Patent No. 1,027,588, dated May 28, 1912.

In thegrease cup of my former patent, it will be observed that the cover or cap of the cup is provided with a small aperture c0nstituting an inlet opening through which the grease may be introduced into the interior of the cup. While the thick or viscous character of the grease is maintained, the ,fill opening in the cap or cover of the cup need not be closed, but in some work where the friction of the operating parts is sufiicient to generate a heat tending to melt and expand the grease, it is desirable to close said fill opening, so that the lubricant in its thinner or liquid state cannot work out of the cup.

Vith the foregoing desirable characteristics in View, another consideration is the fact that a closure for the fill opening must be of such a nature to permit free introduction or ingress of the normally heavy greases into the interior of the cup.

My present improvements are designed'to meet the conditions above set forth, and in general, said improvements embrace an automatically acting valve adapted to recede from its seat under the feeding pressure of the grease being delivered to the cup, and capable of piercing semi-solid greases and forcing its" way'to its seat, following the filling operation, to close the fill opening for the purpose above suggested.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention possesses several characteristics, as will hereinafter appear, in connection with the following specific description of the device, when read in connection with the ace companying drawing forming a part hereoi, and wherein such embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a grease cup, like that illustrated in my patent, to which reference has above been made, the top of the grease cup being furnished with the improvements herein outlined; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the closing device for the fill opening with the parts thereof shown in separated relation; Fig. 3 is a top view of the device as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a bottom View of the valve per se; Fig. 5 is a side eleva tion of a part of the device as shown in Fig. 1. 7

Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters will refer to'corresponding parts in the several views, C represents the body of the grease cup, adapted to contain the lubricant, and to discharge the same through the aperture 0 in the bottom thereof to the parts, to be greased.

D is the cap or closure removably associated with the body G through the medium of the threaded engagement d; this cap or covering beingprovided with a contracted portion or neck cl underlying projecting separated beveled flanges f, constituting a coupling member for a grease gun, as set forth in my patent, and not necessary to be illustrated herein.

The cap or covering is provided with a vertical space 0' constituting a communicating passage between the fill opening E and the enlarged chamber (Z- within the lower portion of the cap, the fill opening terminat ing at its upper endin a tapered seatfor the reception of a correspondingly tapered nipple on a grease gun, also as set forth in my said patent.

Connecting the wall of the passage the wall of the fill opening 6 is an annular downwardly flaring valve seat Gr, cooperat ing with which is a sharp pointed conical valve H, the inclination of the operating face of the valve and its seat being at an acute angle (60 has been demonstrated as being successful and practical). The back of the valve is provided with an annular groove or depression J adapted to permlt displacement of thegrease thereinto, when the valve is forced home by a spring K, said spring being of a spiral type tapering from its base to the upper end of the same, at which upper end the spring is seated in the groove J, and loosely receives the valve stemh, the lower larger end of the spring bearing upon a ring L provided for that purpose driven into holding engagement with the lower portion of the chamber 0: By the use of the special type of spring above dec with v I 1 be understood by persons skilled in the art fined, it wiil be seen that around the edges of the valve H there is ample clearance to permit the ready entrance of the grease and that the convolutions of the spring in the lower portion thereof provide a wide open space permitting discharge of the grease through the ring L.

It has only been after much experimenting that I have conceived a successful valve, capable of forcing its way to its seat, but by locating the valve close to the top of the cap or cover and forming the same with the sharp angle or taper referred to, I have found that the valve will permit ready introduction of grease and will also pierce the semi-solid greases and force its way to its seat, it being observed that the apex or. sharp point of the valve projects upwardly considerably above the seat Gr and into the fill opening 6 so that, in the seating operation of the valve, the grease adjacent thereto is gradually displaced, principally behind the valve, and the seat cleared for the firm engagement of the valve therewith.

While I have herein disclosed the preferred embodiment of the invention, it'wsi ll that the invention is capable of embodiment in other forms and devices, as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims.

1. In a grease cup, a cap portion formed with a hollow interior bordering a tapered valve seat adapted to open to a fill opening, a valve engaging said valve seat and having a pointed conical end projecting into the fill opening so as to leave a space surround.- ing the pointed end of the valve within said fill opening, and means for normally forcing the valve toits seat,-said valve being relatively narrow in diameter as compared to the width of the chamber within the cap portion to enable semi-solid greases to pass around the valve and through the chamber, and the pointed end of the valve being adapted to pierce said semi-solid greases, substantially as described.

2. In a grease cup, a cap portion formed with a hollow interior bordering a tapered valve seat adapted to open to a fill opening, a valve engaging said valve seat and having a pointed conical end projecting into the fill opening so as to leave a space surrounding the pointed end of the valve within said fill opening, and means for normally forcing the valve to its seat, said valve being relatively narrow in diameter as compared to the width of the chamber within the cap portion to enable semi-solid greases to pass around the valve and through the chamber, and the pointed end of the valve being adapted to pierce said semi-solid greases, the back surface of the valve being dished, substantially as and for the purpose "described.

3. In a grease cup, a cap portion formed with a hollow interior borderin portion to enable semi-solid greases to passv I a tapered. U valve seat adapted to open to afill opening,

around the valve and through the chamber, I

and the pointed*-- end of the valve being adapted to pierce said semi-solid greases, and means for normally forcing the valve'to its seat comprising a splral spring with its convolutions arranged in tapered formation to leave a wide space around the upper convolutions immediately adjoining the valve and a wide unobstructed inner space within the lower convolutions, said convolutions being relatively widely separated with ref-.

erence to each other to permit ready passage of the greases therebetween and there through, substantially as and for the purpose described. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MATIHIAS G., BROWN.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. HoPKms, ROBERT BALLANTYNE 

